


Sacrifice

by Paige_Turner36



Series: Baelfire Lives [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 3x15 Fix-It, AU season 3, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anti-Hook, Episode AU: s03e15 Quiet Minds, F/M, Gen, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), The Dark Castle (Once Upon a Time), The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time), The Vault of the Dark One, au season 3b
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 18:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15200627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: 3x15 Fix-It. Neal doesn’t die to bring Rumple back. But the price must be paid.





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of “Baelfire Lives”. This is a bit rough, but I wanted to explain how Neal lives in this verse.
> 
> Believe it or not, early 3B when we were debating who was going to die, there was a time I didn’t want any of them to die; whether because of family connections, true love, or villains redeeming themselves.
> 
> Now I’ve changed my mind… 
> 
> http://www.wetpaint.com/season-3-which-major-character-800308/
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT. This is for fun and not for profit.

‘If there’s anyone who can defeat that witch and get you back to your family, it’s Rumple,’ said Belle as she led the way into the old dining room. ‘The way to resurrect him has to be here.’

It filled Belle with joy and sadness to be back in the Dark Castle. If only Rumple was here with them. Every night she dreamed of Rumple’s death. She was always frozen, always powerless to do anything but watch as Rumple plunged the knife into his father, impaling himself. She couldn't help him, she couldn’t save him, she couldn’t hold him…tell him she loved him too. One last time.

The only thing that gave her hope was that the dagger didn’t get left behind him when he disappeared in a blaze of light. If it had, if it had clattered to the ground with Rumple’s name erased from the blade then she would have known that he was truly gone. He had to be somewhere. He had to be.

‘You really believe in him, don’t you?’ said Neal.

Belle smiled. ‘I love him. All of him. Even the parts that belong to the darkness.’

‘Yeah, it took me a while to see past all that…to the good man trying to get out.’

‘He did get out.’

Neal smiled sadly. ‘Yeah, he did. Irony is, now I need the dark part in order to get to the ones I care about.’

Belle noticed Neal holding up a silver necklace with a swan keychain on it.

‘What is that?’ she asked.

‘A necklace. It was Emma’s. It was supposed to represent our life together. I don’t know how it survived the trip.’

‘Because it was born out of true love,’ said Belle, thinking of her chipped cup. The cup had been through curses, had been chipped, smashed and magically restored. All the trials it had faced and it had survived tem all. Hers and Rumple’s love had been tested by external forces as well as their own demons and they had overcome them all. This was just another obstacle.

‘Hate to break that touching moment, but we’ve got a realm to cross and not three hundred years to do it.’

Belle and Neal turned to glare at the third member of their party. Hook. She had no idea why she agreed to let him come along, but he had overheard her talking to Neal about bringing back Rumple to help them get back to Emma and Henry and he’d said he was good at research, so what could she say?

‘Come with me,’ said Belle. ‘I think I know where we can find what we need.’

Belle led them up to the library.

‘You think there’s magic in here?’ said Neal.

‘No. Something better than magic: books. Books on history. Witchcraft. And hopefully, some on the Dark One, too.’

They stared up at the rows of books.

‘Where do we start?’

Belle lit a match and started lighting the candles. ‘One shelf at a time.’

Hook took the candelabra from the table and lifted it up to examine the hundreds and hundreds of books. ‘Well this shouldn’t take too long, should it?’ he drawled. ‘It’s only thousands of books.’

‘Hello there!’ said a French male voice coming from the source of light in his hand.

‘Bloody hell!’ Hook dropped the candelabra.

Belle and Neal had jumped too.

‘Did you… did you just speak?’ said Belle.

‘Bonjour!’ cried the voice coming from the face of a man in the flames. ‘Allow me to introduce myself.’

‘What the hell?’ said Neal.

‘No need to be frightened.’

‘Of course not. Why would we be startled by a talking candle?’ said Hook dryly.

‘ _Candelabra_! Please! Enormous difference! And I am neither. I am but a humble servant of this castle. My name is Lumière.’

‘You’re Lumière?’ said Neal incredulously.

‘You’ve met before?’ said Hook curiously.

‘You seriously need to see a thing called a “movie”.’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Belle, before Hook could answer. ‘I’ve dusted every nook and cranny in this place. How have our paths never crossed?’

‘It’s a big castle and I was woefully underutilized,’ said Lumière simply. ‘Sadly, I only awaken when my candles are lit. Those are the rules of my punishment.’

‘Punishment by who?’ asked Neal.

‘Who do you think?’ said Hook impatiently. ‘Have you forgotten where we are? The Crocodile.’

‘Rumplestiltskin and I made a deal long ago and when I couldn’t live up to my end, he made sure I paid the price.’ Lumière looked around anxiously. ‘He’s not here, is he?’

‘No, he’s…’ Belle swallowed. ‘He’s dead.’

Neal put a consoling hand on her shoulder. ‘We’re trying to bring him back.’

‘Why?’

‘Trust me, I can hardly believe it myself,’ said Hook. ‘I’ve spent centuries trying to kill him and now I’m helping bring him back to life. We’re desperate.’

‘You said you spent a lot of time here,’ said Neal to Lumière. ‘Do you know anything that could restore the Dark One?’

‘I know a great many things,’ said Lumière pompously. 

‘Please, you gotta help us. If you don’t, I’ll never see my family again.’

‘Boo hoo. Why should I help resurrect the man who put me in this wax prison?’

‘Because if you don’t, we’ll blow you out and melt you down,’ Hook snarled, pointing his moniker threateningly at him.

‘No we won’t,’ said Belle impatiently. She approached Lumière. ‘The Rumplestiltskin you knew may have seemed cold and hard, but he’s changed since then. If you help us, I know he’ll restore you to your human form. Please.’

It wasn’t even a lie. Rumple had given David the dreamshade cure without a price; he would surely turn Lumière back without an IOU.

Lumière sighed. ‘The bookcase behind you. Bottom cabinet. You’ll know it once you see it.’

Belle opened said cabinet and discovered a large tome.

‘It’s a volume befitting the Dark One.’

Belle took out the heavy book, bound in leather and opened it.

‘What the hell kind of book is that?’ said Neal.

‘This isn’t a book,’ said Belle. ‘It’s a hiding place.’

She showed them. The middle of the book was cut out to fit the shape of the hidden object. She took out the item and examined it closely.

‘What’s that?’ said Neal.

‘It’s a key,’ said Lumière as they turned the triangular key over, ‘to the Vault of the Dark One.’

‘The Vault of the Dark One?’ said Belle.

‘Where the first Dark One was made. Born out of…well darkness. If you wish to bring Rumplestiltskin back to life, this is where you must go.’

‘Will you guide us on our journey?’

‘If your promises that the Dark One will return me to my human form are true, then yes, I will.’

Neal placed the key back inside the hiding place and then closed the book. ‘We leave first thing in the morning.’

Neal blew out the candles and he, Belle and Hook left the room.

No sooner had the door swung closed behind them then the Wicked Witch appeared, bringing Lumière back to life.

‘Nicely done,’ said Zelena smugly. ‘I don’t think they suspected you for an instant. Which says more about them then it does about you. That Belle isn’t as smart as she thinks. And this son of his – dumber than a box of hair. Especially if they think that pirate’s doing this out of the goodness of his rotten heart.’

‘They’re merely desperate to bring back their Rumplestiltskin,’ said Lumière.

‘Not only desperate. Blind.’

‘Release me. I’ve aided you enough.’

‘I’d watch your tone, Candle,’ Zelena warned him. ‘There’s more to be done and you shall do it, unless you desire being the wax seal on an envelope.’

*

Belle, Neal and Hook left early the next morning, heading for the Vault of the Dark One. This was really happening. They were going to get Rumple back. He would restore Lumière and with his help they’ll defeat the Wicked Witch and help his son get back to his family.

‘Ever since it happened I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Rumple’s sacrifice,’ she was saying to Neal. ‘I mean how he died to save everyone in Storybrooke.’

‘You know that wasn’t it,’ said Neal. ‘He did it to save us. His family. Everyone else just got lucky.’

‘At least he died a hero.’

‘Were you surprised he had it in him?’

‘I was,’ said Hook, pushing a branch out of the way as he marched ahead of them, having no desire to listen or engage in this particular topic.

That man had a face your never tire of punching.

‘Of course not,’ said Belle. ‘Were you?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Neal honestly. ‘I mean, my papa used to be a selfless man. He’d half starve himself to make sure I had enough to eat. He even gave alms to a beggar. But that all changed when he became the Dark One. I know he wished he’d never let me go through that portal. I know how sorry he was, but now that I have a son of my own, I can’t imagine ever doing what he did.’

‘I don’t think either of us fully understood the curse back then. Not even Rumple. He regretted what happened with you so much. He was willing to do anything to get back to you.’

‘Well, that’s one thing about him I can relate to, because I would do anything to get back to Henry.’

Belle smiled, seeing Rumple in his determination to reunite with his family. Then she shivered. ‘It’s getting colder.’

‘We’re here!’ Hook yelled from the front.

They hurried to catch up and entered a clearing. The ground was covered in snow despite being the middle of summer.

‘Come on,’ said Neal. ‘Let’s get what we came here for. Let’s get my father back.’

Neal set Lumière on a rock and lit him.

‘You found it,’ said Lumière. ‘Thank heavens.’

‘Now what?’ Neal asked.

‘Get to the centre of the clearing under the ice and snow you shall find the entryway to the vault.’

They started to search until Neal and Hook successfully cleared the vault’s entrance.

‘Belle!’ Neal called.

Belle knelt down beside Neal and Hook examining the symbols and markings on the round door, clearing the snow from the keyhole. ‘Yes, the key must go in the middle.’

Turn the key and they would have Rumple back. And yet Belle couldn’t shake off the awful feeling _this is too easy_.

Neal clearly thought the same for he turned to face Lumière. ‘Are you sure about this?’

‘I’ve spent two hundred years in Rumplestiltskin’s library witnessing more dark magic and sorcery than any living creature has ever seen –’

_Two hundred years?_

‘I’m – I’m sorry,’ Belle interrupted. ‘How long did you say you were there?’

‘Does it matter?’ said Hook.

‘Two hundred years at least,’ said Lumière.

‘He’s lying,’ said Belle to the two men. To Lumière she said loudly, ‘Rumple built that library for me not long before the curse. It’s been there barely thirty years.’

‘Who are you?!’ Neal demanded. ‘Unless you wanna spend the rest of eternity under a snowdrift, you better start talking.’

Lumière knowing the game was up, sighed. ‘I am who I appear to be; only it wasn’t Rumplestiltskin who turned me into this wretched form. It was the Wicked Witch of the West.’

‘The Wicked Witch?’ said Belle. ‘She told you to lead us here?’

‘She wants you to bring the Dark One back so she can control him with his dagger.’

And they almost fell for it.

‘We need to leave this place,’ said Belle.

‘No,’ said Hook refusing to budge. ‘It means we can bring back the Crocodile. What does it matter who got us here? Don’t you want to get back to Emma?’

‘ _And_ Henry,’ Neal snarled. ‘Don’t think I don’t know why you’re really here.’

‘Rumple didn’t sacrifice his life for good, so he could return to be a slave to evil,’ said Belle.

‘He’s the Dark One!’

‘That doesn’t make him indestructible!’ said Neal angrily. ‘And his name’s Rumplestiltskin!’

‘He’s the king of loopholes. He’ll figure out a way to deal with her.’

‘What if he can’t?’ said Belle. ‘Think what she could do if the Dark One was under her control.’

‘I need to get back but not at the expense of my father’s freewill.’

‘We’ll find another way to bring him back that doesn’t hurt him or us. We can’t be selfish.’

‘Says the pot to the kettle,’ said Hook nastily.

‘Excuse me?’

‘He sacrificed himself and yet you’re about to undo that sacrifice by bringing him back because _you_ want him back. At the end of the day you’re no better than either of us, love. We can’t waste any more time. I’m getting back there. To hell with the cost!’

Hook snatched the key and marched back to the vault.

‘It’s what Rumple told himself when he forged the curse that condemned countless people to misery. Don’t do this.’

Hook placed the key inside the keyhole. ‘A man unwilling to fight for what he wants deserves what he gets.’

‘Hook, wait!’ Neal shouted.

But too late. Hook placed a hand upon the key and opened the vault. Heated by incorporated magic the key melts the snow around the vault. Ascending the fire burns Hook’s hand and leaves a triangle shaped mark on his palm. Screaming in pain Hook draws away his hand and buries it in the snow. Finally the vault opens entirely, oozing thick black, liquid darkness. Slowly arising, the darkness confluences into his human form.

‘Rumple?’ Belle breathed.

 

_Storybrooke - Present_

There was no sign of Rumplestiltskin anywhere. What had the Wicked Witch done to him? Never had she seen Mr Gold so scared and disturbed. How long before she realised he was gone? They had to find him and get him over the town line. The dagger couldn’t possible affect him in a Land Without Magic. 

Just then Emma’s coat pocket vibrated. She answered her phone. ‘Belle, what d’you find?’

In the pawnshop Belle and Lumière, or Chanler LeFeu as he was known in Storybrooke, glanced at each other. They had been researching the drawing of a triangular key they had found in Neal’s pocket hoping it would provide them with a clue, not only to what happened with them during the missing year, but how Rumple could be alive. And what they had discovered wasn’t good.

‘The symbol,’ said Belle. ‘It’s from an ancient talisman. A key that opens the Vault of the Dark One. I think someone may have used it…to resurrect Rumple. Back when we were in the Enchanted Forest.’

‘Wait, so who brought Gold back?’

‘That’s where it gets unclear. The vault will only restore the Dark One in exchange for another life.’

‘Whoa. Hang on a minute. What?’

‘It’s a one for one trade. You said everyone was accounted for except Hook. If Hook used that key, he died.’

Emma held up the hook. ‘So where’s the rest of him?’

 

_Enchanted Forest - One year ago_

Belle was brought back to the present by Hook’s groan and saw him collapse into the snow.

Hook? Hook? what’s wrong?’ said Neal urgently.

Hook’s only response was another groan.

‘Are you okay?’ said Belle. ‘Hook! Just hold on, okay?’

Hook screamed in pain. Belle raised her head and her heart stopped. Rumple stood before her just as he was on the day she first met him. Long black robes, the dagger in his gloved hand, scales and curly hair. He opened his reptilian eyes. He looked so sad, so tortured, she could see that wherever he’d been he’d suffered. But when he lifted his gaze and saw her, his eyes lit up, life and light returning to them, a smile pulling the corners of his mouth and when he spoke he said her name with so much love, ‘Belle?’

Belle choked back a happy sob and nodded, smiling through her tears.

Rumple smiled in relief, relief that this was real, that he was alive, that Belle was standing before him, that Bae was –

…huddled on the ground holding a semi-conscious Hook. Crying.

‘Bae?’ said Rumple anxiously.

Neal raised his head, tear running down his face, suddenly no longer a grown man, but his precious boy looking to his father for help, to make it all better. ‘ _Papa_.’

Rumple hurried over to them, taking Hook’s hand and seeing the mark. The reason he was alive now. ‘What did you do?’ he muttered to the pirate.

‘It was me,’ said Neal. ‘I needed to get back to my son. I did this. It’s my fault.’

Before Rumple could open his mouth to reassure his son –

‘Poor Baelfire,’ said a cruel female voice. ‘A murderer, just like his father.’

Belle, Neal and Rumple turned as Zelena appeared in a cloud of green smoke.

‘Not exactly as I planned, but I got what I wanted. That’s the problem when you think from here –’ she pointed at her heart ‘- instead of here,’ she pointed to her head. ‘Or in your pirate’s case, from here –’ She pointed to her groin. ‘Just couldn’t learn from your father’s mistakes. You wanted so badly to get back to your son, couldn’t see the forest for the trees.’

Rumple snarled, pointing his dagger threateningly at Zelena. ‘You did this! You tricked him!’

‘All I did was pass on some vital information,’ said Zelena innocently, glancing briefly at Lumière, ‘with the help of a friend. And then your besotted maid, devoted son and their pet did the rest.’

‘You didn’t tell him the price.’

‘Oops!’ Zelena smiled wickedly. ‘It’s a sin of omission, love. Although, I thought it was rather obvious. A life for a life.’

‘I didn’t mean for this to happen,’ said Neal desperately.

‘It’s gonna be alright, son,’ Rumple tried to reassure him.

‘I do doubt that,’ Zelena jeered.

‘You’re evil,’ said Belle, disgusted.

‘No. _Wicked_.’

Zelena put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly.

It happened so fast; two winged monkeys swooped down and grabbed Belle and Neal, lifting them high into the air.

‘No!’ Rumple shouted, raising a fireball ready to throw. The monkey holding Neal hissed, holding its claws to his throat. Rumple extinguished the fireball. ‘Zelena, please. Your quarrel is with me. Let Belle and Bae go, they have nothing to do with this.’ 

‘Give me the dagger,’ said Zelena.

‘Rumple, no!’ Belle shouted.

‘I’ll make it hurt. As much as they’ll be lovely addition to my menagerie, being such helpful little monkeys, it’s so much more satisfying to see you live with the pain of being responsible for the death of your true love and your son. You can either give me the dagger or you can tell me who I should kill first. Heart or blood. You child? Or your lover? Love or power? Choose.’

Rumple glared at Zelena. But there was no choice.

He threw down the dagger,

‘Wow,’ said Zelena, stooping down to pick up the dagger. ‘I didn’t think you had it in you.’ She chuckled, her white teeth contrasting starkly with her green skin.

The monkeys dropped Belle and Neal, the latter cried out in pain.

‘Neal!’ Belle cried, hurrying over to him.

‘Ooh, that does look nasty,’ said Zelena, as Belle pulled Neal’s hand away from his side, revealing blood. ‘Fatal.’

‘Go,’ Rumple begged her. ‘Save him, please.’

Belle helped Neal to his feet.

‘Now then…kneel!’ Zelena commanded, raising the dagger.

Rumple was forced into a kneeling position.

‘Oh this is a great look on you. I should have you on a leash.’

‘Rumple? I’m sorry,’ Belle sobbed. She couldn’t leave him. This was all her fault. It was her idea to bring Rumple back. Now Hook, was dying, Neal was wounded and Rumple was now a slave to the enemy.

‘Go,’ Rumple told her. There was no hint of anger, resent or hate in his eyes, just the desire for them to get away. ‘Take Bae and go.’

‘We can’t leave you,’ Neal gasped through the pain. 

‘Please go,’ Rumple begged him.

‘Enough!’ Zelena raised your voice. ‘It’s time to go. But before we do…kill them.’

Lumière gasped, Hook feebly lifted his head, but couldn’t help any more than the candelabra or the horrified man kneeling at the green witch’s feet.

‘No!’ Rumple begged her. ‘You promised!’

‘I said I’d give you the choice of who to kill first. I never said I wouldn’t. Where’s the fun in that? Now I command you: kill them both.’

Rumple didn’t move. He was shaking as he tried to resist the command, his face contorted with pain. But even Belle could see in his eyes, he was losing.

‘Rumple?’

Suddenly, puffing madly, Lumière produced fiery ropes that wrapped around Zelena. ‘I can’t keep her for long! Go! Hurry!’

Rumple sighed in relief, the compulsion to kill momentarily gone while Zelena was restrained. Zelena growled in rage as she fought against her bonds. But Belle didn’t move.

‘Don’t make me regret this flash of conscience! Get out of here!’

‘You’re going to regret this, Candle!’ Zelena screamed.

Belle knew it was stupid and reckless, but she couldn’t help it. She ran to Rumple, dropped to her knees and hugged him. Rumple couldn’t hug her back, his arm was still frozen in a reaching position, but he closed his eyes and leaned in as close as he was able. ‘Oh Belle…’

‘This isn’t the end,’ Belle promised.

‘We will come back for you, Papa,’ said Neal, one hand pressed to his wound, the other carrying Lumière.

‘I love you.’

‘Please!’ Rumple begged her. ‘Get as far away from me as you can!’

Belle cried, kissed his weathered cheek and reluctantly released him, helping Neal flee the clearing. As soon as they were clear the flames vanished and Zelena screamed in rage, stamping her foot like a child, not unlike her baby sister.

‘Come on!’ she snapped. ‘We’ve got work to do.’

Rumple staggered to his feet and glanced over at Hook, slumped on the ground, covered in snow. He was barely stirring. Rumple gazed down at the man he hated; the man who had tried to kill him, who had hurt the people he loved in his quest for revenge, now dying at his feet; impaled upon his own sword. And Rumple felt nothing, nothing but anger that Zelena would’ve sacrificed Belle or Neal just to bring him back.

‘We can’t leave him like this,’ he told her.

Zelena hesitated. ‘You know, you’re right. My pretties!’ Flocks of her winged minions appeared in the air at their mistress’s command, waiting for her orders. ‘Dinner.’

With delighted screeches, the winged monkeys swooped down and devoured. When they’d taken flight, nothing remained of the man formerly known as Killian Jones but shredded leather. And a bloodstained hook.

**Author's Note:**

> …Hook should’ve died.
> 
> Of course it’s in character for Hook to abandon ship when things didn’t work out for him, only to jump back on board when Neal sent the message and memory potion and claim credit for fighting to get back to Emma. But if he had stuck around, the only reason he would help get back to the Land Without Magic is for his own agenda: pursuing Emma Swan. Neal may be desperate to get back to his family but he knows the danger of magic – “Magic always comes with a price” – and so would act with caution, rather than bulldoze in like Hook.
> 
> After their truce at the end of S2 I ignored everything to do with Hook, until his blackmailing Rumple in 4x03 proving he hadn’t changed, but I was aware enough that the idea of pairing Hook with Emma was just wrong – going after Bae’s love after doing Bae’s mother.
> 
> God bless Rumple and Milah grilling Emma in 5x14!


End file.
